The famed hill forts of Rajasthan are inching closer to get the World Heritage Site status.

At the moment, seven forts Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Gagron, Ranthambore, Amber, Jalore and Bala Kila are on the Unesco tentative list.

The full landscape view of Kumbhalgarh Fort

Amber Fort

Kumbhalgarh Fort

Ranthambore Fort

Chittorgarh Fort

The UNESCO team was in Jaipur on Monday to discuss the nomination of ‘Hill forts of Rajasthan’ for the world heritage site status. The ‘Hill Forts of Rajasthan’ are strategically built in a series and located on the oldest mountain range of the Aravallis or the Vindhyan range in the region.

According to UNESCO, the series of seven hill forts in Rajasthan represent the genius of Rajput military architecture in the medieval and post medieval period. The forts built in local stone masonry trace the development of the fort typology and evolution of the Rajput architectural style from the 15th to the 19th century.

Historians and researchers also noted that five of these forts-Chittorgarh, Gagron, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore and Jalore-include additional historic layers from the 6th to 10th century, while exhibiting significant structure of the Rajput military architecture of the 15th and 16th century.

Jalore fort

Bala Kila Alwar

The Amber Fort and Bala Kila Fort represent the later phase of a mature Rajput architectural style. The forts are important records of the political scenario of the period, marked by strife and subjugation from the Sultanate and the Mughal Empire and friction amongst the Rajput kingdoms ruled by various clans.

At the moment the Jantar Mantar and Keoladeo National Park are the two sites from state listed on the World Heritage List.